For the Geek in all of us

Manga / Comics

I purchased Rodeo Dreams from Harlequin.com back in December when they had a sale on eBooks. Silly me, I didn’t realize the hoops I would have to jump through to read the titles I purchased there on my Kindle. Unlike Amazon’s simple system for downloading purchased books, I had to download the Overdrive app, go through the hassle of setting up a new account because I used a different email address than the one I had used previously, and then I had to download each title, one by one. The whole process pissed me off, and I decided that even with a discount, it’s not worth buying direct from Harlequin. The books and the app were temporarily lost (I don’t use that Kindle very often, and yes, I collect Kindles like some people collect socks. It’s a terrible weakness of mine). Since I haven’t been feeling well this past week, I was looking for something different to read, and lo-and-behold! I remembered about all of those Harlequins sitting somewhere on a Kindle (somewhere!).

This is another Harlequin manga I purchased when it was on sale for .99. I currently have a sinus infection, feel awful, and can’t concentrate on anything for very long, so it looks like I’ll be reading manga and short category novels until I feel better. When I purchased Make-Believe Bride, I had never heard of either the original author or the manga-ka, but the price point is what hit the sweet spot. At less than a buck, I will purchase these all day long; my only problem is remembering to check the Harlequin manga selection on Amazon about once a week because the sale prices seem to rotate quickly through these titles.

I borrowed Her Knight in the Outback because I have enjoyed several Nikki Logan titles in the past. I enjoyed this one, too, but I wasn’t convinced that the protagonists will have a HEA. Eve is just so damaged and heart broken that it was difficult for me to believe that she would be able to successfully put all of her emotional distress in the past and give Marshall all of the attention he deserves.

I really enjoy Cathy McDavid’s novels, so I’m a little puzzled why I haven’t read more of them. I like that her characters are every day people. There’s not a billionaire in sight, just ordinary folk working hard to get through each day and provide for their families. They could be my neighbors. They could be me. McDavid has a way of taking average problems and building them up into something that’s easy to relate to, and like Donna Alward, simple daily tasks become compelling efforts to better oneself and make the most of each protagonist’s strengths.

Mine Tonight is the second book in The Blue Dynasty series that’s I’ve read. This didn’t revolve around football, but instead delved into the background details behind Alessandro Franco’s illegal gambling ring, as well as his despicable actions against his son, star NFL player Santino Franco. When all is said and done, Mine Tonight is about two wounded souls who were both betrayed by the very people that should have protected them: their parents.

I checked out The Sheik and the Bought Bride because the original novel was written by Susan Mallery, without realizing that it was illustrated by Takako Hashimoto, the same artist who worked on A Mediterranean Marriage, my review from last Friday. I love her artwork! Her illustrations are delicate and airy, and the exotic village in El Deharia was brought vividly to life, both through background details and Victoria’s wardrobe. Her clothing was beautifully rendered and I loved seeing all of her costume changes.

Wow! Some times you strike gold when randomly checking books out of the library. I didn’t even read the blurb for A Wife in Wyoming. I just saw the cover, which I find very appealing, and clicked Borrow. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. I’ve been reading Harlequin American Romances forever, and I’ve never noticed Lynnette Kent before, but I enjoyed this so much that I immediately glommed onto her expansive backlist. Thank goodness for Scribd!